Thailand's interim government expected to spur national economy

BANGKOK, October 14 (TNA) - An official survey, recently conducted by the Thai Ministry of Commerce, has found that consumers' hope for their future incomes over the next three months peaked in 20 months, as they expected the interim government should spur the national economy. The Ministry of Commerce found from its survey on consumers that local consumers' hope for their incomes over the next three months stood at 53.3, as it was above the 50 level, it reflected that they became confident and expected the interim administration should improve the national economy. The official survey also found that the CCI increased for the fourth consecutive month in September 2014 and peaked in nine years and seven months or 115 months. Ampawan Pichalai, a commercial advisor who is acting as a deputy permanent secretary for commerce, told journalists on Tuesday that the random survey on 3,167 people nationwide found the CCI in September stood at 45.8 per cent, from 44.9 per cent in the previous month. Ampawan reported that the CCI over the next three months was at 49.2, pointing out although the indices were climbing up, they were still below 50, which showed that people remained unconfident in the national economic situation due to rising costs of living and unemployment, as well as a slowdown in tourism recovery and Thai exports and low prices of farm products and widespread flood damages. According to the senior official, respondents were asked about their economic conditions, incomes and employment pportunities. (TNA)